Jordan’s therapeutic tourism industry generated $500 million in revenues in 2001 and is expected to earn close to $600 million in 2002, reported the Kingdom’s Ministry of Health. Jordanian hospitals received close to 100,000 patients from Arab countries and 126,000 are expected to arrive this year.

Jordan presents an attractive form of therapeutic tourism by offering qualified medical services to patients from other countries at costs considerably lower than those at their place of origin. Many times these medical services come as part of a tourist package and special housing arrangements are available for this purpose.

More than $450 million has been invested in Jordan’s private hospitals in recent years. The medical sector makes up nearly nine percent of Jordan’s gross domestic product (GDP), estimated at $550 million. Therapeutic tourism is among the fields that attract foreign investments, making up 40 percent of overall investments in the medical sector. — (menareport.com)